As a runner myself I know just how expensive some of the kit can be. Yeah sure when you first start you claim’insist’maintain’hold’argue’consider’contemplate’speculate this running lark s great, as unlike most other sports you don t need to pay abundant’ample’plentiful to start pounding the pavements. There s no gym membership, no gear needed, no balls, no sticks, no rackets just you, some old joggers and the great outdoors.

That is until you acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure really into it.

Then you realise that in/with regard to’concerning’regarding the sake of your feet you should really invest in a decent pair of trainers, and suddenly those tatty paint splattered jogging bottoms just aren t cutting the mustard any more and a stylish new pair of lycra leggings from lulu lemon would look way better. Then of course you ll need a chest or head light to make sure you can see properly during the darker winter months, and some reflective clothing so others can see you. And layers, yes you ll need layers, and gloves, and a hat. And that s not even taking into account a medal rack to store the multitude of medals you ve amassed from the millions of races you ve entered this year, oh and then there s the race entry fees and the travel costs, and the latest fit tech . don t even acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure me started on that!

Suddenly your seemingly cheap hobby has made a right old dent in your savings. So what to do

Why, you whack a load of if on your Christmas list and acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure others to buy some of this stuff in/with regard to’concerning’regarding you, that s what!

I ve compiled my own list which contains some few gift ideas in/with regard to’concerning’regarding runners that perhaps you might not possess’own’nurse despite’in spite of’albeit t of and that will certainly help save them a bob or two and acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure you some extra brownie points in/with regard to’concerning’regarding buying them a Christmas gift they ll actually use.

Take a look at my Christmas gift guide in/with regard to’concerning’regarding runners:

Race Entry

The cost of entering races is acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure ting more and more expensive, but as you begin to enhance’promote’polish up on how fast and how far you re capable of running the temptation to compete grows intense’fierce’exquisite er. Not to mention the lure of a lovely bit of bling at the finish line there really are some lovely looking medals around these days.

And if like me, you feel as if you need an all-singing, all-dancing kind of race, you know one in which it would be a crime not to dress up and there absolutely must be some in/with regard to’concerning’regarding m of entertainment if there s any hope of you stumbling over the finish line then you can expect to pay even more. But these races are epic and there are so many choices Santa runs, Disney runs, obstacle runs, endurance runs, relay runs, colour runs, wine runs . you name it, there s a race in/with regard to’concerning’regarding it!

You can approach gifting race entry in one of two ways:

Ask the person you intend to buy the gift in/with regard to’concerning’regarding which race they would like entry in/with regard to’concerning’regarding .
Or take matters into your own hands and enter them into a race of your choosing.

Personally I m favouring option 2, just make sure you know they are physically (and mentally) capable of doing the race, that they possess’own’nurse no medical conditions and that you re willing to risk wasting money should they put their foot down and refuse to do it!

On the plus side it might make them push themselves, motivate them to train in/with regard to’concerning’regarding it and if nothing else will certainly make them aware of the fact that you 100% believe in them.

Tech Top

You can never possess’own’nurse too many running tops and certainly come winter it s all with regards to’concerning’with respect to the layers, so the more tops you ve got stashed away in your drawers the better. I love a rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent tech t-shirt in/with regard to’concerning’regarding that grossly reason, in that it s so handy to layer up over a long sleeved top and you can pop a run jacket over the top if it s really cold or raining without bulking up too much. The last thing you want when running is to be bogged down by heavy materials and a tech t-shirt like this one from Health Buddy is a great lightweight and versatile option. Available in both a thinner summer version (140gsm) and a mildly’faintly thicker winter version (170gsm) the t-shirts are available in both men s and women s sizes and come in white, navy and green. Plus with prices starting at £18 with free p p it makes in/with regard to’concerning’regarding an afin/with regard to’concerning’regarding dable present choice and could even be included with other run clothing, such as leggings, socks and a hat, to in/with regard to’concerning’regarding m a running gift hamper.

One thing you need to look out in/with regard to’concerning’regarding when buying tech t-shirts is that the printed logos ( cos they will be on there) don t possess’own’nurse any kind of plastic backing otherwise there is the risk of chafing on the inside, especially if it s placed over the nipple zone’district’region trust me no-one wants chafed nipples! And always check the sizes as all too often they can come up too small and be super, super snug or be absolutely massive and feel as if you re running in a nightie. I m a size 10/12 on top and went in/with regard to’concerning’regarding a size small, which was perfect. It s quite long in the body, but I like that as it means it helps skim over my backside and I m all in/with regard to’concerning’regarding tops that hide the dreaded camel toe ladies you so know what I mean!

Fitness Test

If you re after a bit of a different gift idea then this is absolutely perfect. No matter where you are on your running journey it certainly helps if you know yourself inside out and what better way to do that than with a health and fitness DNA test!

Now whilst taking the test isn t going to turn you into Mo Farrah overnight, it will give you inin/with regard to’concerning’regarding mation with regards to’concerning’with respect to your body that perhaps you may not possess’own’nurse known bein/with regard to’concerning’regarding e. I trialled the DNA fitness test from VITL Health earlier this year and was really interested to discover that one of my genes suggest that my body is equipped with slow twitch muscle fibres. Now what this means in terms of running is that I should be better at endurance based running, rather than short sharp sprints. I would absolutely never possess’own’nurse guessed this, having always struggled with longer distances, and whilst taking a DNA test and finding out this inin/with regard to’concerning’regarding mation isn t going to suddenly turn me into a running pro it definitely gave me the assurance to believe in myself a bit more. Obviously you need to take the inin/with regard to’concerning’regarding mation away with you and actually do something with regards to’concerning’with respect to it and the idea of fitness DNA tests such as this is that you possess’own’nurse the inin/with regard to’concerning’regarding mation to structure a better and more personalised training programme. Some companies may also offer a training plan and even a diet plan based on your DNA results.

As Sir Frances Bacon so notable’renowned’distinguished ly said, knowledge is power and a DNA fitness test will certainly equip you with the knowledge to make enhance’promote’polish up ments on your running and take you to where you want to be just remember you ve still got to put all the hard work in, but at least now you ll be focusing your exertion s in the zone’district’region s you can definitely enhance’promote’polish up on!

All-Weather Jacket

Let s face it, if you live in the UK you just possess’own’nurse to accept that during the autumn and winter months (and hey even the spring and summer ones let s be honest here!) you re going to be running in the rain a LOT! Which means a waterproof, lightweight jacket is an absolute must and it helps if it comes equipped with a few other handy features too.

This jacket from MoonRide is super cool because not merely’barely does it tick the lightweight and weatherproof boxes, but it also has a nifty blinking LED light fitted into the back meaning you ll be spotted day or night and no matter what the weather.

The light has a battery life of a whopping 200 hours so it ll keep you going in/with regard to’concerning’regarding ages and it has three different settings (slow blink, fast blink, and continuous red light) in/with regard to’concerning’regarding you to choose from. It can also be easily get rid of’discard d from the jacket by pressing it out of its concealed pouch, meaning you don t possess’own’nurse to misgiving’fret with regards to’concerning’with respect to it messing up when the jacket goes into the wash.

In addition you also acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure these fab features:

Folds up small and comes complete with its own storage pouch.
Made of waterproof and breathable fabric.
4 zipped pockets.
Breathable eyelets to decrease’lessen’cut’allay sweating.
Reinin/with regard to’concerning’regarding ced hand cuffs to stop the rain acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure ting in.
An adjustable hood that can be folded away when not in use.
An adjustable elasticated waist.

Priced at just under £60 and available in sizes M, L, XL (you ll need it enormous’vast’massive’tremendous ger to fit layers underneath) this really is a great jacket in/with regard to’concerning’regarding running, cycling or indeed any outdoor sport.

Stocking Filler Snacks

Foracquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure the chocolate oranges and novelty chocolate Santas, this year it s all with regards to’concerning’with respect to the superfood stocking snacks that ll fuel your run bein/with regard to’concerning’regarding e, during and after!

Go Bites possess’own’nurse bought out three new fruity flavours of their legendary energy balls and we LOVE them. They re totally pretty, totally Instagrammable and can be totally co-ordinated to your run kit hey it s all the significant’essential’critical’vital’crucial’indispensable’imperative stuff right 😉

But best of all they taste amazeballs, like seriously oh my rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent ness are these actually healthy, AMAZING!

And yes they are indeed healthy, just check this out:

Gluten free
Dairy free
Wheat free
No added sugar
High fibre
Vegan approachable’genial
Between 42 47 calories per ball.

Raspberry Cacao  Contains dates, almonds, cashews, raisins gluten-free oats, cacao powder and are rolled and coated in freeze-dried raspberry. These are the ones you eat to give yourself a boost and in terms of taste they are my fave I could seriously knock back a whole pack of these no probs!

Strawberry Cashew Contains dates, almonds, raisins, cashews, raisins gluten-free oats and are rolled and coated in freeze-dried strawberry. These are the ones you eat post run to refuel. It tastes tender and delicate, yet also hearty and nourishing, like it s gonna sort you right out!

Blackcurrant Blueberry Contains rice protein, almonds, raisins gluten-free oats, blueberry and are rolled and coated in blackcurrant powder. These are the ones to recover with and contain extra protein to help reestablish those poor aching muscles. It s the ultra zingy, sherbert tasting one that will wake you up and possess’own’nurse you back firing on all cylinders in no time!

As far as natural run fuel goes you can t acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure better than these and even better they taste like chocolate truffles. Smooth, sweet, chewy and dare I say it I personally claim’insist’maintain’hold’argue’consider’contemplate’speculate they re an enhance’promote’polish up ment on the original flavours. Each pack contains three energy balls and you can buy them from the Go Faster Food website.

Supplements

We all know that eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly is the way to go, but as we acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure older sometimes we need a little help along the way. And that s where supplements can come in.

OK so opening up a few boxes of supplements on Christmas day might not seem the best present idea and sure yeah depending on what those supplements are it might make you a little paranoid with regards to’concerning’with respect to what individual claim’insist’maintain’hold’argue’consider’contemplate’speculate of you. But if you ve subtly asked in/with regard to’concerning’regarding them bein/with regard to’concerning’regarding ehand then it s all rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent right .

One of the enormous’vast’massive’tremendous gest problems encountered by runners is joint pain and while it may be something that comes on as purely part of the aging process, it can be exacerbated by running (peculiar ly on hard surfaces such as pavements).

Rose hips contain high levels of Vitamin C 6o times more than an orange! Vitamin C is essential in/with regard to’concerning’regarding maintaining the health of blood vessels (a huge factor when it comes to running), helps manufacture collagen (the connective tissues and therein/with regard to’concerning’regarding e essential in/with regard to’concerning’regarding joint and muscle health), treats inflammation, and it helps your body absorb iron better (therein/with regard to’concerning’regarding e giving you more energy!). But in addition to of all that rose hips also contain the fatty acid GOPO, which is fundamental ally the plant version of fish oil and we all know how rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent cod liver oil is in/with regard to’concerning’regarding the joints right!

GOPO® are natural food supplements taken from rose hips which possess’own’nurse been clinically proven to help decrease’lessen’cut’allay joint pain and stiffness which in turn helps enhance’promote’polish up both flexibility and mobility. Available from Boots, supermarkets and independent chemists nationwide, GOPO® Joint Health is priced at £18.99 in/with regard to’concerning’regarding 120 capsules or £28.49 in/with regard to’concerning’regarding 200 capsules.

To begin noticing the effects you should ideally possess’own’nurse three capsules twice daily in/with regard to’concerning’regarding a minimum of three months. And yes that is a lot of supplements to be taking, I totally acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure that, so if you re someone who struggles to swallow pills you can also break open the capsules and sprinkle the powder over your food.

As a runner myself and as someone who from time to time undergo s a bit of knee pain I possess’own’nurse been taking these in/with regard to’concerning’regarding the past two weeks and shall keep monitoring how I acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure on with them and will keep you updated!

Natural Body Care

Considering the amount of strain we put our bodies through when we run it s high time we gave it a bit of TLC. This natural body care range from e’lifexir has something in/with regard to’concerning’regarding e grossly body. Created from natural and organic plant and fruit extracts, each product is suitable in/with regard to’concerning’regarding all skin types, hypoallergenic, dermatologically tested and are all vegan approachable’genial .

The range includes:

Fitness Body Contouring Gel
Actidern Revitalising Leg Gel
Anti-Stretch Marks Repairing and Preventing Cream
Bodylift Anti-Cellulite and Lifting Cream
Flat Tummy Reducing and Firming Cream
Push-Up Breast Toning and Firming Cream
Push-Up Buttocks Sculpting Gel

I m not saying these are miracle products, I mean come on anyone that actually makes a cream that can flatten a tummy well they d be millionaires wouldn t they, however there is a lot to be said with regards to’concerning’with respect to treating and looking after your body. And not just so that it feels nice, but also in the personal relationship you in/with regard to’concerning’regarding m with it. If you take time looking after something you begin to look at it in a different way; you respect it, you appreciate it, you embark on love it. This body assurance does wonders in/with regard to’concerning’regarding how you claim’insist’maintain’hold’argue’consider’contemplate’speculate of yourself as a runner, because if you believe in your body and the strength and power it has as well as what it is capable of, it will translate to how well you run.

My personal fave product in the range is the Fitness Body Contouring Gel as it contains caffeine, which provides a tightening effect on the skin and after using a small amount each after a reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue er each evening I can notice a slight firming up around my thigh zone’district’region .

Priced at £15.99 in/with regard to’concerning’regarding a 150ml tube a little goes a long way and you could either buy this as a little stocking filler or buy a selection and arrange in a pretty container or basket to create your own gift set.

Hopefully this has given you a few ideas of what to buy your running mad friend or family member or even what to put on your own Christmas list. There are so many products available in/with regard to’concerning’regarding runners these days, however I wanted to include products that were mildly’faintly different and that covered a whole range of different zone’district’region s. If you possess’own’nurse any other ideas you d like to add to the list please feel free to comment at the end of this post.

*all products gifted in/with regard to’concerning’regarding review.